Earn Credits for Past Work Experience

Experiential Learning Portfolio Option

Students can gain up to 30 credits for college level learning acquired through work experience and/or community service. Students may take the portfolio option in lieu or in addition to the degree specialization to satisfy degree requirements. Also, Portfolio credits may be used to satisfy general elective requirements and/or discipline-specific electives (CS/IT/NSE).

Portfolio credits are counted towards the degree 120 credits.

You may not have been in a classroom for a while, but you have never stopped learning. Your professional and community activities are valuable. The portfolio program allows you to translate your real-life learning into college credit. You may earn up to 30 credits by demonstrating college-level learning in one or more of the following academic disciplines: behavioral sciences, communication, humanities, natural sciences, social sciences and three special topics.

Thousands of PACE students have completed portfolios and considered this experience time and cost effect as well as personally rewarding. Here is what three students said about their portfolio experience:

“You know, it sort of gave me more pep in my step and actually gave me a sense of accomplishment and pride. It also made me realize how marketable I am. It did, it did a lot of things for me but it really gave me a sense of empowerment.”

“It really made me stop and think. It reinforced my belief in myself. I tend to get so caught up in everyday situations that I forget that I ever did something, you know, fifteen years ago. I think the portfolio is one of the most rewarding pieces of work that I have ever done.”

“The insight gained from [my] portfolio helped me to see, as the slogan goes, ‘You’ve come a long way baby’! in my accomplishments, achievements, [and] my development. A degree with a portfolio makes you assess your professional life; without a portfolio, you just know your academic strengths, but you don’t know your professional strengths.

For further information please refer to the Assessment of Prior Learning Hand Book that contains the Portfolio and additional prior learning credit options.